Reporter claims a visual approach reference point is difficult to spot during day and nighttime operations due to development around it and being unlighted.

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Attributes
ACN	394206
Time
Date	199802
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxr airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 2000 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	394206
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The 'power plant visual' approach to runway 26L at phoenix uses, as its reference, an abandoned power plant. It is difficult to spot the structure during daylight, due to nearby development. It is extremely difficult to spot at night, as it is no longer lighted. Suggest that the procedure be modified to incorporate a DME reference from the pxr VOR. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the power plant is not a viable landmark for the visual approach. Reporter indicated that no call was made to the facility regarding the use of the power plant and the difficulty in locating it. Reporter restated that he thought the reference point should be idented with a radial and DME from the VOR. Callback conversation with phx facility personnel revealed the following: analyst learned that he was unaware of any changes regarding the use of the power plant as a visual reference for the approach. He will check other personnel for more information for a future callback.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS A VISUAL APCH REF POINT IS DIFFICULT TO SPOT DURING DAY AND NIGHTTIME OPS DUE TO DEVELOPMENT AROUND IT AND BEING UNLIGHTED.

Narrative: THE 'POWER PLANT VISUAL' APCH TO RWY 26L AT PHOENIX USES, AS ITS REF, AN ABANDONED PWR PLANT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SPOT THE STRUCTURE DURING DAYLIGHT, DUE TO NEARBY DEVELOPMENT. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SPOT AT NIGHT, AS IT IS NO LONGER LIGHTED. SUGGEST THAT THE PROC BE MODIFIED TO INCORPORATE A DME REF FROM THE PXR VOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE POWER PLANT IS NOT A VIABLE LANDMARK FOR THE VISUAL APCH. RPTR INDICATED THAT NO CALL WAS MADE TO THE FACILITY REGARDING THE USE OF THE POWER PLANT AND THE DIFFICULTY IN LOCATING IT. RPTR RESTATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE REF POINT SHOULD BE IDENTED WITH A RADIAL AND DME FROM THE VOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH PHX FACILITY PERSONNEL REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ANALYST LEARNED THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY CHANGES REGARDING THE USE OF THE POWER PLANT AS A VISUAL REF FOR THE APCH. HE WILL CHK OTHER PERSONNEL FOR MORE INFO FOR A FUTURE CALLBACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.